Boisterous. Stand up for the Truth. The Delay. again present, under similar circumstances, at a meeting held quite remote from the one just referred to. A minister had said at the opening of the meeting, "Sister is with us, and will instruct us in the way of holiness." The enemy made this a source of some temptation to me, but the way of the Lord seemed to be preparing for a baptism of the Spirit, when an illiterate man, seemingly of boisterous habits, began to tell of an experience made up of signs and wonders. After telling of great ecstasies, he concluded by saying, with much emphasis, "Brethren and sisters, if you are happy you are holy." I longed, for the sake of the cause, that some one would set him right; but said the enemy, "If you should attempt to do it, they would certainly think that you thought yourself capable of instructing them." The Spirit said, "Stand up in defense of truth: did not God take care of your influence, last week, under similar circumstances, and will he not do it now?" I lingered, saying in my heart, The views which this person has presented are so palpably wrong, that any discerning individual may discover their falsity; and thus I reasoned, neither really decided not to speak in defense of truth, nor fully resolved that I would do so, until the gracious influence, which had before prevailed, seemed to be withdrawn from the meeting, and I saw that I had grieved the Spirit of holiness. Never since that time have Reputation. Let us keep what we get. Established. I dared to be otherwise than fearless in the defense of truth. I do not judge others; to their own Master they stand or fall, but my duty is plain. I have given up my reputation to God; and I cannot consistently make a profession of being wholly given up to the service of Christ, or of having received his Spirit, without standing out faithfully in defense of the blessed doctrines of the gospel, and manifesting that spirit, by a corresponding sympathy, when his cause suffers. The Lord help us to "look to ourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward," and may we ever be found perfect and complete in all the will of God. Yours, in the fellowship of the Spirit: No. XLIII. TO MRS. D—. Establishing grace-God's worthies-Few excel-Instability-Unlike God-Let your yea be yea, and your nay nay-The seal of the Spirit Our Father's testament-Spiritual ambition-Ann Cutler. O IT is indeed a good thing, my sister, that the heart be established in grace. If God himself hath pronounced it a good thing, surely it must be preeminently good. How confirming it is to the pious heart to look upon one who, year after year, pursues the even tenor of his way with undaunted step! God has his worthies, even in the present day, and the eye of my mind is just now resting "Of whom the World is not worthy." Few excel. with inexpressible delight on some of those of whom the world is not worthy. I have beheld them while the fires of tribulation have burned hotly around them, and yet, "Like Moses' bush, They flourish unconsumed in fire." And again have I beheld them; and the world, the flesh, and Satan, in close array, would fain have triumphed over them, but thus far have they overcome by the word of their testimony and the blood of the Lamb, and, still strong in faith, they endure as seeing Him who is invisible. It is not wise to say, "The former days were better than these." But yet in view of the extensive provisions of grače, taken in connection with the inspiring fact, that "God is no respecter of persons," how small the number of those who excel ! The King's highway: how narrow is the road, Instability is an evil of far greater magnitude than is generally apprehended. It is composed of elements which are wholly unlike what God loves. As well might an attempt be made to unite Christ and Belial, as to unite an unstable soul enduringly to "Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever." For the honor of the cause of God, I have greatly desired that the evil of instability might be looked upon with the abhorrence which it merits. To the degree a thing is unlike God, it must be hateful in his sight. With the immutable Jehovah there is neither variableness nor shadow of turning. Yet, alas! how unlike God are many who profess to have received his nature! Their career is but a continual exhibition of variableness and turning. On one occasion you may find them flaming with ardor in the cause of Christ, and seemingly dead to the vanities of earth, and again, perhaps, in a few short months, they are found spiritless and worldly. And many there are of a higher grade of experience, who sadly mistake the mark here. How often, in view of the firm foundation laid for their faith, have they said before God, "I will believe!" "I do believe!" But when called to endure the trial of their faith, they are variable, and turn away from the believer's only resting place, forgetful that their yea should be yea, and their nay nay, with God. Ever do such find that "whatsoever is more than this cometh of evil.” "Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel," was said of one in ancient time, and alas for the cause of holiness, that the experience of so many should illustrate the melancholy prediction! I wonder why the sealing of the Spirit is not oftener an object of special faith and entreaty? The Spirit's Seal. Our Inheritance. The Scriptures present it as the privilege of the believer: "After that ye believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise," Eph. i, 3. And again, as though those addressed had already received the seal, it is said, "Grieve not the Spirit, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Paul surely had received it, or he had not said, “I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." I adore the God of my salvation, by whose grace I was moved to plead for the sealing of the Holy Spirit. The Bible presented it as my privilege, and this was enough to inspire my faith in pleading for it. Never did I more consciously realize that the Spirit itself maketh intercession, than when groaning before God for this establishing grace. It was the Holy Spirit that placed it distinctly before my mind, as a privilege included in the believer's inheritance. The believer's inheritance! How glorious! How wonderful the privileges purchased by the sufferings and death of the Son of God! all of which are now made over to every child of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. When an earthly parent leaves his last will and testament, setting forth in specific terms the inheritance bequeathed, how |